Interpreting and translating services explained

Have you ever thought about the difference between Interpreting and translating services? You probably haven’t. Maybe people who have the opportunity to work closely with them know the difference. Translation agencies usually have both. They are important for good translation. Their work in both areas has the same importance.

Interpreting and translating services explained

So, what exactly does an interpreter do? How about a translator? What is the difference? let’s find out..

An interpreter simultaneously translates verbally and must be a good listener and be able to think quickly

He or she has to be focused all the time, too. Also, they must have iron nerves and a sense of style and keep up with rapid speakers. If they make a mistake, depending on the situation, it could be a really awful situation, or sometimes it could be funny.

For example, if you are a UN interpreter, your mistake could cause a problem. Actually, not just a problem, it can cause an international incident or start a war! That is why UN interpreters work in pairs. They work for about 20 minutes and change with one another. That is a huge difference over translating services.

Can you imagine how it would be if an interpreter only translated every third word in a sentence?

What is a translator doing?

So, what about interpreting as a profession? It is a very hard and important job, and it deserves to be well paid. Translating is almost the same but a little different. A translator converts written text into a target language. It sounds easier perhaps, but it has some difficulties. Mistakes are not just possible but happen very often, unfortunately.

It is not enough just to translate, literally from or into your native language. It must be grammatically correct and translated in the spirit of the target language, so people who read something translated into their language will understand completely. That is the sign of good translating services and professional work. Of course, it is necessary to have a team of professionals to do it right and every good translation company has at least one quality team. A team of translators will also proofread the text, so your document or product won`t be published before thorough checking.

What is the difference in the end?

Interpreting and translating services are two closely related linguistic disciplines. The same people rarely perform them. The difference in skills, training, ability and even language knowledge are so significant that few people can do both actively on an expert level.

The difference between interpreting and translating service is only the difference in the means: the interpreter translates orally, while a translator explains the written text. Both services presuppose a particular love of language and in-depth knowledge of more than one language.

Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text using an equivalent target-language text. The precision of words is very much an essential part of translation services.

The differences in skills are arguably more significant than their similarities. The key capabilities of the translator are the experience to know the source language and the history of the country where the text introduced, then using good archives of glossaries and source materials, to present that material precisely and correctly into the target language.

Now, when you see what is needed for good translating services, you realize why it is important and smart for you to hire a translation company.